Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hinted that defender Jurrien Timber could sign a new contract at the Emirates, calling him “phenomenal”. 

The Gunners are preparing to welcome West Ham to the Emirates this weekend, as they hope to gain three points and overtake Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table.

Arteta’s side come off a 2-0 win in the Champions League, when they managed to overcome Greek side Olympiacos at the Emirates, making them one of six teams in the competition to win both their opening CL games. They face a West Ham side this weekend who recently appointed former Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, after they decided to sack Graham Potter following a struggle to the start of the season.

Arsenal manager Arteta was speaking in his pre-match press conference about the impact that defender Jurrien Timber has on the team, and hinted at a new contract for the Dutch international.

Arsenal boss Arteta heaps praise on Timber

Ahead of the game, Arteta said to Sky Sports: “I rate him [Timber] a lot, but hopefully people rate him a lot. When you talk about a total player, he has always every quality you want as a defender.

“The players want to be with us, we want to attach our futures with them. Jurrien is a really good example of someone under very difficult circumstances, with an injury early in his career, a difficult one – the way he’s come back and what he’s doing for the team, it’s phenomenal. Hopefully he’s another one who’s going to have a long future with us.”

Timber could be the latest Arsenal player to get a new contract after William Saliba secured a new deal last week. It is also understood that Bukayo Saka is in talks with the club over a new deal, and that he could become the highest-paid Arsenal player at over £250,000 per week.